Tooth-cleaner



March 14, 1933. M. H. STEINERT TOOTH CLEANER Filed Jan. 19, 1932 ,9 TTOEA/EYS Patented Mar. 14, 1933 UNITED STATES MARIE HELENE STEINERT, OF CHEMNITZ, GERMANY I i morn-CLEANER- Application filed January 19, 1932, Serial No.

This invention relates to a tooth-cleaner with projecting back. 7

Tooth-cleaners of various types which do not use bristles but have a projecting back covered with an exchangeable pieceof fabric are known already and are chiefly used by persons who have 'very sensitive gums which are not injured by such cleaners. The

latter are quite economical, since they can be 10 used permanently with the exception of the fabric which has tobe replaced from time to time, and one of the great difiiculties in this respect is to arrange the fabric so that it will be held securely yet interchangeably in position.

It has been proposed to provide the handle of a tooth-cleaner of this class with a small movable tensioning frame corre-' sponding to the extent of the back of the cleaner and capable of being turned over the back and the piece of fabric to hold the latter. However, this methodof fastening the fabric suffers from the drawback that the lower and upper portions of the back must have the same width, so that the tensioning frame will project on all sides and interfere with the convenient handling of the cleaner which has to be turned quite often when in use. It would be unavoidable that a cleaner of the kind described touches with its frame the gums or the dental enamel and injures them. Furthermore, according to this method of fastening, the fabric must slightly project beyond the tensioning' frame and also interfere with the free and easy use of the cleaner. 7

According to the invention, these troubles are eliminated by broadening the back of a cleaner upwardly and using its lower narrow portion for holding a' cover-like piece of fabric that is narrowed down below.

A tooth-cleaner according to the invention requires no special holding means for the automatically remain in position afterv befabric, and its cleaning part has a neat' 587,466, and in Germany December 31, 1930,

ing placed over the correspondingly shaped back 2 of the cleaner 1, the back 2 being for this'purpose broadened in upward direction and thus holds the fabric 3. I

It is immaterial whether the back 2 is arranged, on a broad or narrow side of the handle of the 'cleaner l," but it is'advisable to work a rubber ring 4 into the edge of the fabric 3 to secure the latter still more.

Owing to the elimination of special tensioning means for the fabric 3, "the device is suitedequally well for-massaging the gums and cleaning the teeth. Y Y

'I claim 1 1. A tooth-cleaner of the character de-' scribed, comprising a handle, a wedge-shaped back forming a part of said handle and projecting from one of the sides thereof, the cleansing surface of said back being flat and wider than'the portion of said back adjacent to said handle, and a removable fabric cover surrounding said back, said cover narrowing towards said handle and being held in position by the narrow portion. of said back.

2. A tooth-cleaner of the character described, comprising a handle, a wedge-shaped back forming a part of said handle and projecting from one of the sides thereof, the cleansing surface of said back being flat and so wider than the portion of said back adjacent said handle, a removable fabric cover surrounding said back, said cover narrow ing towards said handle and being held in 1 position by the narrow portion of said back, and a rubber ring forming a part of said cover, said ring being worked into the edges thereof. i

In testimony signature.

; MARIE HELENE STEINERT.

whereof I have afiixed my 90 

